Abbas Bey's Diaries

. . . . [due to the distance of the land from the sea and the difficulty of transporting supplies from the sea to it, as he knew that its distances exceeded two hours, the opinion of His Excellency the Governor-General was settled on not assigning the army with its strength, which became known to us when it set out towards Omdurman, to attend his arrival and return to Berber again. The most appropriate course of action at this hour requires His Excellency Hussein Pasha Mazhar and Mr. Shukri Bey to proceed by steamer to Fashir and scout the location where its positions are concentrated, and await His Excellency. This is in regard to his decision to proceed directly by the aforementioned steamer to Bardin towards Al-Kuwa and his subsequent return, passing by your presence to meet His Excellency Hussein Pasha Mazhar in the area he deemed suitable to establish as a camp for the army, the garrison, and others. We departed from the Duweim (1) post, heading for Al-Kuwa (2) at 11:30. We arrived near Al-Kuwa at 12:10 AM. We departed from there in the morning at 12 o'clock, heading for Al-Kuwa on blessed Wednesday, corresponding to the 10th of Dhu al-Qi'dah, year 12, 300 September, year 83. On blessed Wednesday, the 10th of Dhu al-Qi'dah, year (12300) September, year (83), we arrived at Al-Kuwa at noon, and when the steamer began to operate, cannons were fired from their batteries, signaling the arrival of His Excellency the Governor-General to the aforementioned post, and we disembarked on land. His Excellency's wish was to pass inside the fortification line, which was found to be in the utmost perfection, surrounding the town from the sea to the west. The Jihadiya soldiers were lined up in an orderly manner in the center of the town, followed by the Bashibozuk soldiers and the Shabiqiya, facing each other. As His Excellency approached, the necessary salutes were performed according to

(1) Duweim is located on the west bank of the Nile, 125 miles south of Omdurman, and was an important commercial center. (2) Al-Kuwa is a small village south of Duweim, twenty miles away (Kawa) 80